VALDOSTA, Ga. – The No. 4-ranked Valdosta State softball team finally returns home to open the 2019 home slate Sunday with a doubleheader at 2 p.m. against Union University in Gulf South Conference action.  The teams then will conclude the series Monday at 3 p.m. at Steel's Diamond.  
 
The Blazers (11-3, 2-1 GSC) are coming off a doubleheader split at Flagler on Thursday.  Following 12 days off, the VSU bats struggled in the opener as Flagler won 2-0, handing VSU just its second shutout loss of the season. The Saints held VSU to just two hits in the game, but VSU stranded four runners on base.  
 
In the nightcap, the Blazers used the longball to power for a 3-1 win as VSU hit three solo home runs in the contest.  VSU scored one run in the first, one in the fifth, breaking a 1-1 tie and added the insurance run in the seventh.  The Blazers scored three runs on four hits with an error, while Flagler had one run on five hits.  Juniors Logan Hill, Haley Garrett and Taylor Strickland each went the distance in the game. Senior Kasie Johnson (4-1) earned the win, going six innings, allowing four hits, one earned run and fanned six, while junior Giovanna Watts picked up her first save.  
 
Union enters the series with a perfect 3-0 record in conference play and a 10-6 mark overall.  The Bulldogs have won five-straight games, including a sweep of Delta State in the league-opener.  Union began the season 3-5 and has gone 7-1 since.   West Florida leads the league with a perfect 7-0 record in league play and a 19-1 mark overall.
 
The Bulldogs are led by Kaitlyn Kelley at a .436 clip from the dish on 24 of 55.  She has scored 17 runs to lead the team with eight doubles, three home runs and 17 RBI.  Kelley is slugging .745 and reaching base at a .492 clip with seven walks.  Alyssa Ward is second in average at a .393 clip on 22 of 56.  She has scored 12 runs with five RBI.  Kristen Pickens is hitting .360 with nine hits in 25 at bats.  In all, eight players are hitting over .300 and each have played in a minimum of seven games.
 
As a team, the Bulldogs are hitting .321 with 143 hits in 445 at bats, while scoring 94 runs with 30 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs and driven in 83.  The team is slugging .465 and reaching base at a .407 clip with 52 walks and 14 hit batsmen.  Union is 17 of 22 in stolen bases and has a .967 fielding percentage with 15 errors leading to nine unearned runs.
 
On the mound, Union boasts a 3.95 ERA in 16 games and 102.2 innings.  The Bulldogs have four complete games and two shutouts with two saves.  Teams are hitting .276 against Union with 25 extra-base hits.  The Bulldogs have allowed 108 hits, 67 runs – 58 earned, walked 52 and fanned 64. Gabby Morris is 5-3 with a 3.29 ERA in 12 appearances with seven starts.  She has pitched 44.2 innings, allowing 34 hits, 23 runs – 21 earned, walked 27 and fanned 30 as teams are hitting .221 against her.  Parker Davis is 3-3 with a 5.25 ERA in 32 innings.  
 
The Blazers are hitting .260 this season in 14 games.  VSU has 94 hits in 361 at bats, while scoring 70 runs with 17 doubles, two triples, 15 home runs and 62 RBI.  The team is slugging .443 and reaching base at a .353 average with 50 walks and three hit batsmen.  VSU is 22 of 24 in stolen bases and has 10 errors leading to six unearned runs.  
 
From the dish, VSU has five players hitting over .300 as Garrett has 14 hits in 34 at bats for a .412 average. She has scored nine runs with one double and leads team with four home runs.  She has driven in eight for second on the team.  Garrett is slugging .794 to lead the team.  Junior Jordenne Gaten is second in average a .320 clip with a team-high 16 hits in 50 at bats.  She has scored nine runs with three doubles and three home runs as she is slugging .560. Gaten is reaching base at a .370 clip with four walks and is 8 of 8 in stolen bases to lead the team.  
 
On the mound, the Blazers boast a 1.07 ERA in 92 innings as the team has allowed 79 hits, 20 runs – 14 earned, walked just seven batters and fanned 107 as teams are hitting .226 against them.  Johnson leads the team with a 0.90 ERA in seven appearances with six starts.  She has pitched 31 innings, allowing 27 hits, five runs – four earned, walked three and fanned 41.  Sophomore Caylie Van Auken has a 0.97 ERA with a team-best 6-1 record in 50.2 innings.  She has allowed 41 hits, eight runs – seven earned, walked three and fanned a team-high 56 as teams are hitting .291 against her.  
 
Fans can access links to live stats, streaming, ticket information and more for the games at vstateblazers.com on the softball schedule page.